The Letter and other short stories
by tvalue
Summary: A collection of short stories. Different scenarios, characters and genres! Good for a quick read and easy to keep on top of :
1. The Letter

**This, dear readers, is going to be a collection of short stories. And maybe some other things that I feel like having a go at writing. **

**Basically, every story/entry/whatever, will have a point, like a fable or something. It would be really cool if you could figure it out :)**

**Updates will probably be frequent, as there will be less pressure on time and plot etc. This plan seems like a winner!**

**Also, if you don't like one story, you might like another! There will be no set genre, theme or characters.... just what I feel like writing that day.**

**So click on that updates button, even if you find this one a bit iffy.. you never know what the next one will be like!**

**Enjoy.**

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**The Letter**

"What are you writing?"

"A letter."

"Who to?"

"You."

"Oh. Can I see it?"

"No."

"Why not."

"Because I haven't finished it yet."

"Can I see it once you've finished then?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I wouldn't have posted it."

"Why do you need to post it?"

"To make sure that you don't read it whilst I'm here."

"Why don't you want to be here when I read it?"

"You'll see."

Bella frowned, not liking the sound of that at all. If the words were good, then he would want to be there when she read it. If it were good, then he probably would've just said what he wanted her to know. That only meant that the news was bad.

She bit her lip and went into the kitchen. Flicking the kettle on, she walked over to the fridge to get the milk. Her eyes landed on the glossy photograph held in place with a little chrome magnet.

Edwards arms were wrapped around her waist, her arms resting on his. The wind tugged at his bronze hair, making it stick out in unruly tufts. He was smiling down at her, white teeth flashing, her brown eyes angled up to meet his green ones. The sun made them glint, and had spattered tiny freckles over the bridge of her nose. They looked so happy.

That holiday had been the best week of her life; playing tourist, exploring, finding out about each other. She didn't think that anything had changed.

Did he?

When Edward had told her that he was going to be visiting his parents for a week without her, she had been confused. She liked Esme and Carlisle, and thought that they liked her too… Was she mistaken about that too?

Bella jumped when she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist and a pair of lips kissed her cheek. She hadn't heard him coming.

"I will see you when I get back okay?" Edward spoke tentatively, as if unsure that he would be able to act on his word. Then as quickly as he had approached, he was gone.

Bella hadn't had the chance to say goodbye.

She took her mug of tea into the living room and set it on the coaster on the coffee table. She brought her feet up underneath her and pulled the blanket over her. She closed her eyes and tried to think of nothing.

Two days. Edward had been gone for two days and Bella had tried to ignore the fear that was gripping her. That man was her life, and had been for almost three years. She wanted to hate him for putting her through this, for making her doubt - but she couldn't. She hated herself for thinking like that.

He had never given any indication that he felt differently, not once making her question him and what she meant to him. Maybe that was why he was going for a clean break. Once feelings changed, they didn't go back, right? What was the point in dragging it out? Might as well get it over with quickly. It explained the week away, the letter, the rushed goodbye. The kiss on the cheek.

For forty-eight hours, these thoughts had plagued Bella's brain. The uncertainty and ambiguity of Edwards departure led her to the only conclusion that could sound reasonable - He didn't love her any more, and he was leaving. He wrote a letter because he thought that it would be easier for her to not have to hear him destroy her life. So she wouldn't have to hide whilst her world crumbled.

She hadn't told anyone, not even Alice. She didn't want anyone to know that she had turned away her world. So alone, Bella sat on the sofa, bills discarded on the floor, clutching the envelope that would destroy her.

Carefully, she ran her finger underneath the seal that held her fate. With quaking fingers and a shivering breath, Bella pulled out the sheet of neatly folded paper. Beautifully calligraphic letters covered the page in evenly spaced lines. Inhaling deeply, she began to read.

_Home-town love found over a hot-dog counter. It doesn't sound romantic, but it was the most important day of my life. With friends that I can no longer remember, and conversations I can no longer recall, I met the woman that would make me whole. _

_That ordinary day; clouds covering the sky and puddles covering the ground, I looked and saw the most extraordinary sight. You._

_I had wondered about the day when I would meet my soul mate since I was ten. I had never thought that it would be in the park, in front of a fast food van with mustard all over my hands. I would never have guessed that she would hand me a napkin and start cleaning me up, with a blush on her cheeks and cherry blossoms in her hair. _

_It didn't matter where we were, you always made it special. The perfect settings are made for movies - the real life moments are what made me love you. Too many to list, but I will never forget them. I will never forget you - because I can never let you go._

_You are my life now. I could never leave. No woman could live up to your shadow. Your empathy, kindness, wit and nerve, you frustrate me, make me, love me. There can never be anyone as good as you. _

_What I am trying to say, underneath this mass of nervous rambling, is that you showed me how to live. Before you, I was just existing, just breathing, eating and taking up space. You have given me purpose, a reason to be more than I ever thought I could be. I am everything, thanks to you._

_I am writing this to give you time. I do not want you to feel pressured. I want you to know that I will be here for as long as you want me, and probably a bit after that too. I need you to think this through, to not make a hasty decision, I need you to act for yourself and not for me._

_Bella, my love, I am asking if you would spend the rest of your life with me, if you will make me the happiest man on earth, if you let me spend every last day making you feel like the Goddess that you are._

_Will you marry me?_

Bella let the tears flow from beneath her lashes. She didn't need to think about it, she didn't need the time. She picked up a pencil and at the bottom of the page she wrote_ Yes_.

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**Anyone guess the moral?**

**You know what to do, review!**


	2. The Fox Fur Coat

**This one is a bit different from the last one. Hopefully you like it!**

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**The Fox Fur Coat**

"Welcome to your new home." He held the thick oak door open for her to walk through. Bella didn't try to hold in her gasp. She took a few steps forward, her flat heels padding on the unvarnished wooden floor.

"It's beautiful." Edward smiled at her awestruck expression; a proper grin , pearly teeth flashing as he watched his new bride soak up the room around her.

The space was tastefully, beautifully decorated. Leather cushioned seats and chairs, antlers of bucks hung from fixed plaques, a large bear skin rug laid out before the fire. The space was rustic, yet comfortably pleasant, so much so, that Bella failed to comprehend that her new home seemed to be furnished entirely from the skins of dead animals.

"Sit down my love, I have a gift for you." Bella settled onto the soft leather armchair, directed by the smooth voice of her new husband. She brushed the non-existent creases from her skirts, nervous. She didn't know how to act, how to be. Hopefully he would be patient with her.

Edward returned, carrying a large wooden box. He set it on the carved beech table and gestured for her to join him. She did, and panelled chest was placed gently into her hands. Biting her lip to suppress a smile, she carefully removed the intricately detailed lid.

She didn't have the words to express herself.

Her willowy fingers caressed the fur gently, lightly brushing it, as if she was scared that if she applied too much pressure it would disappear. Bella glanced up quickly to meet Edwards eye, checking that it really was hers, frightened that he would take it away.

He just grinned his increasingly familiar toothy smile, lifted it from its wooden coffin and held it up for her to slip her arms through. Cautiously, she wrapped the coat around her shoulders, caressing the fur and revelling in the luxuriant warmth.

He spoke first, "Do you like it, my love?" his voice wrapped gently around her ears as the coat was encasing her body. She closed her eyes and exhaled peacefully.

"Yes, I do. I like it all." She turned and gestured at the horn bowls, the goblets carved delicately and the extravagant furniture. She stroked her sleeve. "This must have cost a fortune…" She was unused to such brash displays of wealth, so felt a wash of unease over take her when she realised that she owned these things.

Edwards eyes glinted like jewels in the sunlight. "Actually my dear, it didn't cost me a thing."

"Nothing? I don't think that I understand…" Surely he hadn't _stolen _it? As if hearing her thoughts, he barked a laugh, a sound clear and pure.

"Actually, I made it myself. I made all of the furniture in this house actually." Bella's mouth opened to form a perfect "o" and a pink blush softened her cheeks. She wrapped the coat closer to her body, as if getting nearer to his work made her closer to the beautiful man stood in front of her. "Even so, the pelts must have cost a lot." She seemed unwilling to play down the garments worth.

"Not a penny. I caught the foxes and skinned them with my own hands." her blush grew darker and his grin grew wider as she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered,

"Thank you."

Weeks passed and Bella began to grow curious. Every few days, Edward went hunting. This as simple enough, as he had to make his trade. What confused her was that he would set off in the morning without tools. No gun, knife or blade went with him, yet came home with skins and pelts piled high. He left without food and did not eat when he returned. She had come to only one conclusion.

He was seeing another woman. How else would he be fed and be provided with tools? She may even be providing the skins herself! All Bella did know, was that she was going to find out.

He left at dawn, carrying with him only a hemp sack and a thin cotton shirt. Bella followed ten minutes later, wearing her fox fur coat wrapped tightly to keep out the frigid autumnal wind.

She kept firmly to the path. Never leaving it for fear of losing her way. She walked and walked, the sense of foreboding increasing. Why hadn't she seen him yet?

A loud roar punctuated the silence, the sound as terrifying as it was sudden. Fear coursed through her veins, adrenaline pumping her blood faster, her breath refused to leave her lungs. She was sure it was close, it was going to get her, going to kill her, going to eat her if she didn't get away.

She couldn't run, it would catch up, she couldn't run, it would find her. Her eyes darted around, desperate to find an escape. She saw the tree slightly to her left, she began clawing at it, climbing it until she was safe amongst its branches.

She leant her back against the trunk, but was nearly thrown to the floor when she heard another chilling roar. Instinctively, she grasped the bough tighter and turned her head towards the source of the noise.

Through the clearing in the branches she saw a mountain lion, its tawny mane knotted and reddened with blood. It staggered backwards, trying to find an even surface on the rocky terrain, a figure moved in the corner of her eye. Bella gasped as she saw her husband, white shirt spotted with blood spring from the mossy undergrowth and tackle the beast to the side.

She sat shocked as she watched Edward sink his teeth into the beasts neck and, was he sucking its blood?

Bella couldn't move, neither could the lion, who had ceased its struggles when it realised that death was inevitable. The great beast had barely taken its last breath before Edward rolled it onto its back. Horror filled her as her husband dragged his teeth along the animals chest before tearing it open, revealing its ruby innards.

Bile rose to the back of Bella's throat, but she dared not be sick in case he noticed. He had begun to pull out the organs; heart, lungs, liver, all placed on top of the sack that he had brought with him. Once they were all neatly stacked, he licked his fingers, removing all trace of the brutality from his soft white hands.

The sharp cracking of bones filled the forest air as Edward broke them from their fleshy confines and set them next to the organs in a pearly pile next to the blood red one.

Soon, all that was left was the head and the pelt. He opened up the beasts jaw, snapping it from the force of his grip. He held the lower half in his hand as he pinched a sharp fang in his fingers. Without flinching or hesitation, he pulled it clean from the gum and placed it next to the mounds of insides.

A soft whimper escaped Bella's lips before she had a chance to prevent it. She threw her hand over her mouth, as if the action would prevent the sound from hitting Edwards ears. It was too late.

Her husbands gaze snapped round, his sparkling emerald eyes flashed as they met hers. His head cocked to one side as his mouth spread to form the familiar grin, his teeth stained an inky red.

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**And the moral of this story is...**

**You know what to do, Review!  
**


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